An amazing world of music – rare funk, soul, reggae, and other grooves from Belize – all beautifully compiled in the rich Numero Music style! We're really stunned by the set – as we had no idea at all that Belize had anything going on at this level – and the collection is an amazing surprise to our ears, filled with new delights at each turn, and clearly marking Belize as a new funky capitol on our ever-expanding map of musical understanding. Numero really outdid themselves with this package – going far beyond their already-great collections of work from the Bandit and Capsoul labels – to dig up a range of tracks that have never really made it out to the world at large, but which bubble over with influences from American funk and soul at the time. The notes are great, and the booklet's got plenty of excellent images to back up the writings – but the music is the real star of the set, and is presented on 16 tracks that include "More Love Reggae" and "Boogaloo A La Chuck" by Lord Rhaburn, "Theme From The Godfather" and "Backstabbers" by The Professionals, "Can't Go Halfway" and "Shame Shame Shame" by The Harmonettes, "Things Are Going To Work Out Right" and "Rated G" by The Web, "Funky Jive (parts 1& 2)" by Soul Creations, and "Long Time Boy" by Nadia Cattouse. CD

A really fantastic look at a scene we might never heard otherwise – served up here in a selection of cuts that have a really surprising vibe! Forget everything you know about Indonesian music, as the work here seems to draw most heavily from the European scene at the time – particularly some of the cooler grooves that were coming out of French clubs as things got a bit more playful and catchy after the disco years – and maybe with a dose of UK electro pop elements too! The work has a strong 80s vibe overall – and is different than you might expect from all three of the styles referenced in the title – maybe more of a hinterland past the bigger names on Virgin Records during the decade – catchy, well-produced, but a lot more interesting than chartbound material too. Titles include "Musik Kami" by Gito Rollies, "Waktu Kian Berarti" by Chaseiro, "Langkah Kemuka" by Andi MM, "Kenangan Asmara" by Grace Simon, "Denny" by Lidya Kandou, "Catatan Kisah" by Rafika Duri, "PHK" by Iwan Fals, and "Jakarta Kasmaran" by Denny Malik. CD

Music from Izingqungqulu Zomhlaba, Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens, Noise Khanyile & The Jo'Burg City Stars, Lucky Dube, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Tebogo, Spokes Mashiyane, African Jazz Pioneers, the Elite Swingsters, Bheki Mseleku, West Nkosi, Soul Brothers, Boyoyo Boys, Miriam Makeba & The Skylarks, Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. CD

Includes performances by Pan Am Jet North Stars Orchestra, City Syncopaters Steel Orchestra, Guiness Cavaliers Steel Orchestra, Angostura Starlift Steel Orchestra, and Chase Manhattan Savoys Steel Orchestra. LP, Vinyl record album

Very clubby work from the South African scene at the start of the 90s – a record that warms things up nicely from the synth pop recordings of a few years before, and really seems to embrace all the best elements of house music in the process! The songs are catchy and have nice hooks when the vocals come in – and in a way, the approach here is similar to that moment when more mainstream UK work firmly embraced inspirations from Chicago house, then really let things open up and groove! Titles include "Love Is The Message", "People Of The World", "Living For The City", "Victim Of Your Love", "Open Invitation", and "It's Too Late". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm, soulful sounds from a crucial time in the Japanese music scene – a 70s moment when the nation was finding a special groove of its own – but one that also drew heavily from American soul and jazz as well! It's no secret that the Japanese have always had a great love of American sounds – but by the mid 70s, that longtime love had also turned into some great homegrown sounds of their own – as Japan developed a number of its own strong soul singers, who were often backed by the ever-growing array of great jazz musicians, particularly those of the fusion side of the spectrum. Plus, there also seemed to be a lot more criss-crossing between Tokyo and US studios at the time – particularly those on the west coast – which resulted in a special blend of sounds that had all the class and cool of the Japanese urban scene, but also some of the sunniness of the west coast too. That special mix of music is perfectly summed up here – in a collection that offers up plenty of cuts that were never issued outside of Japan back in the day – with vocals both in English and Japanese, and plenty of grooves that are perfect for any fan of fusion-styled R&B. Titles include the classic "LA Nights" by Yasuko Agawa – plus "Say Goodbye" by Hiroshi Sato, "I Say Who" by Tomoko Soryo, "Sports Men" by Haruomi Hosoni, "Midnight Driver" by Minako Yoshida, "Machibouke" by Tazumi Toyoshima, "Exotic Yokogao" by Hitomi Tohyama, "Lady Pink Panther" by Shigeru Suzuki, "Drip Dry Eyes" by Yukihiro Takahashi, and "Bamboo Vendor" by Masayoshi Takanaka. (Funky Compilations, Global Grooves) CD

One of the coolest records ever issued by Sidiku Buari – the Ghanian musician who also recorded just as Buari – stepping out here in a very unusual performance recorded live at a club in New York at the end of the 70s! Side one begins with this great crowd frenzy and very cool energy as Buari's group take off running – mixing West African modes with more American boogie and funk elements – in a blend that has lots of riffing guitar and some especially groovy keyboard parts! Side two features studio material, but still pretty darn great – and maybe touched with a slight inspiration from Jamaica in some of the dubbier rhythms. There's some nicely weird sounds that are a bit hard to identify, and which cut against some of the sweeter vocal moments – on titles that include "Together We Can Rebuild It", "Revolution", "Keep The Rhythm Going", "Ofey Karambani", "This Is Music", and "Disco Soccer". CD

One of the coolest records ever issued by Sidiku Buari – the Ghanian musician who also recorded just as Buari – stepping out here in a very unusual performance recorded live at a club in New York at the end of the 70s! Side one begins with this great crowd frenzy and very cool energy as Buari's group take off running – mixing West African modes with more American boogie and funk elements – in a blend that has lots of riffing guitar and some especially groovy keyboard parts! Side two features studio material, but still pretty darn great – and maybe touched with a slight inspiration from Jamaica in some of the dubbier rhythms. There's some nicely weird sounds that are a bit hard to identify, and which cut against some of the sweeter vocal moments – on titles that include "Together We Can Rebuild It", "Revolution", "Keep The Rhythm Going", "Ofey Karambani", "This Is Music", and "Disco Soccer". LP, Vinyl record album

A really funky set from the UK scene of the 70s – an album that mixes West African roots with some of the hipper elements going on in London at the time – a city where Remi Kabaka had been lending his talents to a variety of different records over the years! The set was issued by Island Records, and has the kind of cross-cultural groove the label did so well – and at some level, the record's sort of a second chapter in some of the African-influenced funk that was bubbling over on the London scene in the early 70s – maybe a bit sharper and tighter overall, but no less funky! The basslines are especially nice – nice and deep, with maybe an influence from Jamaican music, even though there's no reggae at all on the set. Titles include "Future Of 1000 Years", "All Black Festival", "African Hustle", "Blue Lagos", "Meteorite", "Sure Thing", and "Kabaka". LP, Vinyl record album

Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". CD

Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of rare records by Sidiku Buari – issued back to back on a single CD! Feelings is a record that was issued on the tiny Precious label – home to only two Buari albums in its tiny catalog – and the set follows strongly on the work that Sidiku recorded in New York during the 70s, records that were initially issued just under his last name! The groove on some tracks is full of early 80s NYC touches – sweet electro keyboards that provide some great middle-ground shocks to the tunes – while beats crackle crispy at the bottom, and Buari sings these slinky soul vocals that are a lot more American than you'd guess from the Ghanaian recording of the album. But other numbers have more of a West Africa vibe – that updating of older modes that was taking place in Nigeria too. Titles include "Music", "Feelings", "Anowar", and "Yayo Papa". Sidiku Buari & His Jam Busters has a groove that definitely lives up to its name – a sweet 80s crackle with lots of tunes that jam in an old school funk style – keyboards, basslines, and rhythms right on the money – in a great Transatlantic bridge between Ghana and New York City! The set begins with the super-funky "Let's Go To Funky Town" – a tune with a break on the intro to rival some of the best funky club work of the time – and the vibe continues strongly through the rest of the set, on titles that include "Sophisticated Jammer", "Power To My People", "Rhythm Of Africa", "Minsumobo", and "Karambani". CD

A pair of rare records by Sidiku Buari – issued back to back on a single CD! Feelings is a record that was issued on the tiny Precious label – home to only two Buari albums in its tiny catalog – and the set follows strongly on the work that Sidiku recorded in New York during the 70s, records that were initially issued just under his last name! The groove on some tracks is full of early 80s NYC touches – sweet electro keyboards that provide some great middle-ground shocks to the tunes – while beats crackle crispy at the bottom, and Buari sings these slinky soul vocals that are a lot more American than you'd guess from the Ghanaian recording of the album. But other numbers have more of a West Africa vibe – that updating of older modes that was taking place in Nigeria too. Titles include "Music", "Feelings", "Anowar", and "Yayo Papa". Sidiku Buari & His Jam Busters has a groove that definitely lives up to its name – a sweet 80s crackle with lots of tunes that jam in an old school funk style – keyboards, basslines, and rhythms right on the money – in a great Transatlantic bridge between Ghana and New York City! The set begins with the super-funky "Let's Go To Funky Town" – a tune with a break on the intro to rival some of the best funky club work of the time – and the vibe continues strongly through the rest of the set, on titles that include "Sophisticated Jammer", "Power To My People", "Rhythm Of Africa", "Minsumobo", and "Karambani". LP, Vinyl record album

Other-worldly sounds from a leaf-playing musician from the South American scene – an artist who takes the leaf of a ficus tree, holds it in his mouth, and creates all these unusual sounds that are very much in the territory of some sort of exotic reed instrument! The leaf solos are mixed here with work on acoustic guitar, percussion, and often a bit of organ – all at a level that's completely hypnotic, and which almost feels more like music from the East African scene than the sorts of sounds you'd expect from the city of Quito in Ecuador! And while you might think of these recordings as some sort of sonic novelty, they've got a great amount of feeling and power – a really unexpected depth that comes across right away – maybe even more so if you don't stop to think about the source of the sounds. These vintage recordings are presented here in the best tradition of the Honest Jons label – and titles include "Tondero", "Arbol Frondoso", "Pujili", "Marcu Pungo", "La Naranja", "Negra Piedad", "Simiatu", and "Huashca De Corales". LP, Vinyl record album

A really funky set from the UK scene of the 70s – an album that mixes West African roots with some of the hipper elements going on in London at the time – a city where Remi Kabaka had been lending his talents to a variety of different records over the years! The set was issued by Island Records, and has the kind of cross-cultural groove the label did so well – and at some level, the record's sort of a second chapter in some of the African-influenced funk that was bubbling over on the London scene in the early 70s – maybe a bit sharper and tighter overall, but no less funky! The basslines are especially nice – nice and deep, with maybe an influence from Jamaican music, even though there's no reggae at all on the set. Titles include "Future Of 1000 Years", "All Black Festival", "African Hustle", "Blue Lagos", "Meteorite", "Sure Thing", and "Kabaka". CD

The first two volumes in this legendary series – back to back in one set! Volume 1 is an amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. Volume 2 compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more! CD

Hard-driving work from this Afrobeat collection – an ensemble who've been working together for over a decade, and whose members hail from more scenes than just London – yet one who also use that city's cross-cultural heritage to really craft their own groove! Vocals are by Juanita Euka, who sings in English, French, and Spanish, and often in ways that make for a nicely different style than the usual vocal approach you'd expect from an Afro Funk record – a depth that sometimes has the musicians making space for her lead in a really great way! Her presence brings this extra current of soul to the record that's very nice – and titles include "El Ritmo De Londres", "Freedom", "Topesa Esengo Na Motema", "My Way", "De Kinshasa A Sona Bata", and "Take Me To The Sea". LP, Vinyl record album